This was one of life's special moments.
Or at least it was the last time he set foot on the sticky green artificial turf in November of 1992.
``The last time I was here was the state championship game when I was in high school,'' Barrett said of Green Bay Notre Dame's 21-17 victory over Fond du Lac Springs in the WISAA Division 1 championship game.
``Walking throught that tunnel again, it just hits you.''
Barrett is hoping to get hit by a rush of emotion again today, not a Mount Union defensive rush.
If the speedy UW-La Crosse running back can break a long punt return, a kickoff, or a run from scrimmage, it would go a long way in making up for what has been a difficult season for Barrett.
It would also help UW-L (11-1) in its quest to defend its NCAA Division III national championship.
The Eagles battle playoff rival Mount Union (12-0) of Alliance, Ohio, in one Division III semifinal at noon today. Rowan (N.J.) faces Lycoming (Pa.) in the other.
The winners earn a trip to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, set for Dec. 14 in Salem, Va.
``Back on this fast track, I love it,'' said Barrett, who has been hampered by hamstring and Achilles injuries much of the season.
``When I missed those four games in a row and spent all that time in rehab, you feel like you let the team down. You feel like maybe you are not a part of the team. Making a big play would make up for some of that.''
Today, Barrett and the Eagles know it will take a true team effort -- offense, defense, special teams ð to derail the high-flying Purple Raiders.
Mount Union is the top scoring team in Division III, averaging 47.8 points per game. Throw out the Purple Raiders 31-26 playoff victory over Allegheny (Pa.), and Mount Union's closest game was a 22-point victory over John Carroll.
``We are a similar team to last year. We haven't changed dramatically,'' said Mount Union coach Larry Kehres. ``There is certainly respect for La Crosse. When we played them in '92, we knew we played a great team.
``We played them hard last year and lost. You've got to give your opponent credit. We lost to a great team last year, too.''
Anyone who has been around Kehres, even for a few minutes, knows how difficult it is for the 11th-year coach to choke those words out.
Kehres and his team intensely hate losing. So much so that Kehres received a reprimand from the NCAA for his behavior after last year's 20-17 loss to the Eagles in Alliance, Ohio.
Roger Harring, UW-L's 64-year-old head coach, takes a low-key approach. Harring and his staff have been through this before.
Thirty-four times to be exact.
People in the UW-L football program like to mention tradition, but no one will ever utter the word ``dynasty.''
Consider this: UW-L is making its sixth appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs. It has won two national titles in the past four years, and has a 13-3 playoff record.
Prior to its joining the NCAA, the Eagles made nine NAIA playoff appearances, posting a 12-6 record including the 1985 NAIA Division II national title. Add up the numbers, and UW-L is 25-9 in playoff action. Still, Harring refuses to puff out his chest. His thoughts are too wrapped up in Mount Union purple. ``They are awfully good,'' Harring said. ``We just hope we can stay with them until the fourth quarter. Quickness does wear down. If we're close in the fourth quarter, I'll feel pretty good.'' Kehres feels good about his Purple Raiders, as he should. Mount Union is the winningest Division III program in the country in the 1990's (78-6-1), and won the 1993 national title.
But Mount Union is 0-2 vs. UW-L.
``This (UW-L) is the best team we have faced,'' Kehres said. ``Their experience makes them even better than last year. The reason they are national champs is because they have no real weaknesses.''
Both Harring and Kehres talked in general about how they plan to attack the other today. There were no secrets leaded to the media.
``We can't give them a lot of opportunities,'' Harring said. ``The key for us will be both lines. We want to make him (Mount Union quarterback Bill Borchert) throw a little quicker, and our offensive line will have to get into their underbelly.''
Kehres said his offensive line must give Borchert time to throw, and the junior slinger will take care of the rest. ``Bill has been consistent. He is in his third year as a starter, so that is what you would expect,'' Kehres said.
What do both coaches expect today?
``It could be a high scoring game,'' Harring said.
``Both previous games have been good, hard-played games,'' Kehres said. ``I expect this one to be the same.''
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